Performance

Photo courtesy of idi0tech

Make sure you practise EXACTLY the same way that you perform.

How many times have you said to yourself or your teacher "I played it better in practice!"

One reason you may not play your best when giving a performance is that you have been practising in a different way to the way you perform. You should therefore make every effort to play in the same way wether you are practising or performing.

So starting with the basics make sure you are sitting or standing in the way you would be for a performance. Make sure your instrument is setup/oiled in the same way. Hold your instrument in the same way. As far as the actual music is concerned you should play everything on the page as you would in performance. That means all the dynamics, expressions, articulations and anything else the music says.

If you do practise in exactly the same way as you perform you will undoubtedly become a better performer.

Photo courtesy of Gutter

For this method you need to play your piece through from start to finish.

As you play make sure that you are only thinking about the next note. If you catch yourself thinking about anything other than the next note go back to the beginning and start again. Ignore any mistakes - remember you are thinking about the next note.  Read more . . .

Here"s how to make sure you are ready for any performance.

In the weeks before your performance plan to complete the following:  Read more . . .

• Run your piece( from start to finish without stopping (at least 10 times).
• Run your performance at different times of day.
• Do a dress rehearsal in the same clothes and time as your performance.
• Play with your accompanist as many times as you can.

Photo courtesy of purplepick

Simulating a performance situation when practising will stand you in good stead come the big day.

Invite some friends or family to attend a "mock" performance that you will give. They do not need to be musical at all - just ask them to write down some comments as you play (you could use the performance feedback forms for this).You can use these comments (good or bad) to help make your next performance even better.

As the performer you need to prepare yourself exactly as you would for your performance. This means you need to warm up properly, dress appropriately and play as if in a performance (ie play all your pieces from start to finish without stopping).

Do this a few times before your actual performance and you will be well prepared and more confident.

Make sure you practise at the same volume as you perform.

Have you ever given a performance where you have tried really hard to make those quiet dynamics only to find that the notes don't come out? You then try to creep back in only for another note not to sound! Oh dear, this is the practice method for you.

For this practice method you need to make the whole of your piece sound more confident. To do this you need to go through your piece and mark all the dynamics up one notch. So each time you see an mf you need to mark this up to f. Each time you have a p you need to mark this up to mp and so on. You will need to do this in any case to allow for being accompanied.  Read more . . .

This method will help you perform correctly and avoid mistakes.

Practise your piece using other methods until you think it is ready for performance.

The object of this method is to play your piece through from start to finish 4 times without any mistakes. If you make a mistake at any point you need to begin again with the first time through.  Read more . . .